I need some recommendations to keep the flies off my fishing buddy. (The one with the red collar.) Nothing I've tried has worked.

That's a tough one. I never did find anything that kept flies and squeets off the dog.

Sentry spray works great. I use it on my lab.

Permethrin. You can find some labeled for Dog use only. Use a .5% concentration if you're mixing it. There's actually a section on Sawyers' web site talking about the best way to apply it to a dog.

Lemon eucalyptus spray can work. Alternatively Flicks fly spray is quite excellent as well. Despite what Sawyer might say, I would never apply permethrin to my dog.

We’ve been using this instead of DEET based repellent.

Repel Plant-based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent2

What is the concern with Permethrin? I checked out Sentry but that seems to be more of a calming spray. Lemon eucalyptus spray has a couple recommendations, haven't used it so I don't know.

I've tried mixing up a home brew I got off the internet. Was vinegar and something else, didn't work worth a crap but Buster did smell like a dill pickle.

There was a thought in the past that Absorbine would work to keep flies away (at least for humans). I tried it this last trip. Flies were minimal, but not deterred by Absorbine in the least. Scratch that off the list. Otherwise I am of no use!

Growing up I seem to remember we used a spray on the horses, but I don't remember the name. Got it at fleet farm. I would guess it would also be ok for dogs. Guess I'm not much help either.

4keys: "Growing up I seem to remember we used a spray on the horses, but I don't remember the name. Got it at fleet farm. I would guess it would also be ok for dogs. Guess I'm not much help either.
"

Yes I grew up on a horse farm too and remember we sprayed something on them when the flies got bad. I believe it was a permethrin blend, but l was just a kid and really did not pay attention. Fleet farm in the farm animal section would be a good place to look.

Bugs like our pets more than us BTW, whatever is biting us will be many times worse for the dog, but they are tougher than we are :)

T

Growing up we used WIPE on our horse and 4-H cattle to keep the flies off. It did not seem to affect the health of the horse at all, she lived to a very old age. Suspiciously, the cattle all passed away shortly after the county fair :) Unclear if the Wipe was to blame. Perhaps we should not have named them Hamburger, T-Bone ect.

Kidding aside, WIPE was easy to use and very effective. Also, gives coat a nice shine.

I don't think horses lick so much, but a dog may well lick anywhere it can reach, so what goes on the legs, sides, or belly may get inside the dog.

I also have used Repel for the past few years. I've still seen black flies land, but then take off again. OK for mosquitos too. I also sometimes spray a pack towel with the stuff and lay it over him when he's resting - helps keep em off and minimize how much stuff I have to spray on him.

Which type of flies are giving you the most trouble?

You make a good point about dogs licking, Jaywalker.

Check out “Centaura”.

It’s spray developed for horseback riding. Safe for animals and people o believe? My sister used it on her Great Dane and it seemed to help.

I use K9 advantix 2. It is supposed to work against mosquitoes (and ticks mainly) vs frontline. It has worked so far with my dog. IIRC it has worked for flies as well.

Neem oil, citronella, lemon eucalyptus & geraniol oil are okay for dogs.

I believe permethrin is just not tested enough to go ahead & use it.
I thought picardin would be a good natural alternative, but same deal, I don't think it's been tested enough.
I've heard about lemongrass, but it's effectiveness is questionable.

Cedar is a natural bug repellent, so I did a search & found this Cedarcide on Chewy. I'm going to check this stuff out for myself at some point, it has mixed reviews-I take them with a grain of salt. It's oily, you can buy an applicator brush or use a spray bottle..some dogs hate a spray bottle.

Cedarcide on Chewy

Biting insects are usually worse/bothers them the most around their head & ears. I spray or put any product on my hands first, then wipe them around the ears & back of the head & neck to protect their eyes from direct spray.

AFAIK, Permethrin is safe on dogs - but deadly to cats. If you have both, I'd apply it to the dog well away from the cat's roaming area, and thoroughly clean the dog before letting him back home.

The flies that bother Buster are large black flies and it's only when were on the water. It appears everyone has tried something different with some degree of success. I do know there are products that should not be used on our pals. I'm going to give my vet a call and see what she suggests, if it's anything new I'll be sure I post it.

Thanks for all the input.

Half apple cider vinegar, half water in a spray bottle as needed.

Bannock: "Half apple cider vinegar, half water in a spray bottle as needed."

Sounds like an old-time remedy. I bet it would sting on any scrapes or minor cuts. So would almost anything else for that matter. At least it would be safe for areas a dog can reach to lick/clean itself. Repels ticks? (biggest concern, to me)

Sentry spray has different products. They do have a calming spray, but try the Sentry fly repellent. It works very good.